PA Fly Fishing Stream
Reports
FALLING SPRINGS
The
Falling Springs is one of three designated limestone wild trout fisheries, and
fly fisherman nationwide recognize the Falling Springs as one of the best
limestone waters in the East. The Falling Springs with its constant water
temperatures makes for a great year round fishery. Most of the Falling
Spring flows through picturesque meadows. The stream is blessed with a
diversity of mayflies, caddisflies and midges and prime water for summer
terrestrial fishing. The Falling Springs has a great population of wild
rainbows. Many reaching lengths of 20+ inches. There is also a
very good population of wild
brown trout, but they are seldom seen or caught because they
are very wary. The downtown section is full of both stocked browns and an
increasing population of wild rainbows and brown trout..
Fishing Report on Falling Spring:
07/24/10
I had a great time with Bill today. We started just before
7:00am and ended by 3:00pm. It was incredibly hot- to say the least.
Sunny and 98 degrees made for a tiring day. But the fishing was
outstanding. I had Bill into rising trout from start to end. The
tricos were heavy from 7 until 10:00am. Water was clear warming from 54 to
58 degrees by mid-afternoon. A snowshoe trico was the choice fly this
morning. Bill missed many and landed two rainbows. Bill also brown
off a rainbow well around 16 inches. Then we headed to cool off at lunch
and then terrestrials all afternoon. Bill once again missed and lost
several, landed around five browns as the day wound down. It was a fine
time, but bring lots of water. To end, Bill bought a copy of my book and
we fired up the AC.
LETORT
Out of all our South-Central PA streams, the Letort is by far the most
famous. This is where terrestrial fishing began. The brown trout of the Letort are
extremely skittish. Patience, the ability to sneak about and the proper fly presentation
are all needed to be successful on the Letort. Brown trout populations continue to
go up and down but still trout over 20" are present. Midges hatch year round. Blue Winged Olives, black
stoneflies, sulphurs and tricos hatch during their given times. Terrestrial fishing
becomes the norm over the summer months and good streamer techniques are a must for this
legendary limestone creek.
Fishing Report on LeTort: 07/03/10
I had a really good time with Jason today. The weather
was sunny and calm. Cool to start and 88 degrees by lunch. Water was
clear and 55 degrees. Water was really backing up in the lower meadows.
AS you know, that makes it hard to get around. Jason wanted to see
how to work the stream. We did not land any, but Jason learned much.
We can close. Had three look at some terrestrials. Then had, maybe a
take, on a sculpin. That one was well into the 20 inch range. lunch
and then Big Springs.
YELLOW BREECHES
Although not a wild trout stream, these trout can be very selective. Most
anglers fish within the 1 mile "no-kill" stretch at the Allenberry.
The regulation section is great but some much water
can be found outside this area for both wild and holdover trout without the
crowded fishing. It is a stocked stream and stocked several times a year. The Yellow Breeches has a wide diversity of
hatching insects. Of all the insects, the "Breeches" heaviest hatches are the
black caddis, olive-bodied tan winged caddis, sulphurs and tricos.
Some good Hendricksons and brown drake hatches can be fished
over as well. The most famous is the White Fly Hatch and lets not
leave out the fantastic midge fishing. To round out the fishing, the Breeches is very well
known for its outstanding terrestrial fishing
and toughest midge sipping trout around.
Fishing Report on Yellow Breeches: 06/25/09
I had a blast with Chan, Adam and John for our
finish of a two day trip. It was to say the least hot. Skies were
clear-air was around 90 degrees. Water was clear and 68 degrees. Not
much in the way of hatches. You know the normal daytime stuff- midges,
terrestrials. The guys fished with a variety of stuff. Nymphs like
my shrimp and BH green caddis paid off. Terrestrials and some midge
patterns proved effective. All of us had a fun time. We fished from
8 to 4. Did quite well. Chan got into them, but dad and grandpa
caught two at 15 and 16 inches. They landed somewhere around 15 trout for
the day.
BIG SPRING
Big
Spring Creek sure has come a long way since I first starting fishing it back
when it was one trophy trout per day. Now it is classified as a catch and
release fly fishing only stretch of 1.1 miles; from 100 feet downstream of the
source (Big Spring) downstream to the Nearly Road Bridge.
Below that is open regulated water. Still, it is nothing like it
was in its hay day when Vincent Marinaro walked the grassy banks of Big Spring.
Much has been written about the rising brook trout once found in Big Spring.
These books describe a stream of miles and miles of rising brook trout, then
came the mills and then the final blow—a big hatchery at the headwaters.
Much has changed since the hatchery has been shut
down. Big Spring is now fishing much like a wild trout stream. Now one can
find trout outside what was locally known as the “ditch”. This once dead stream
is now on the rebound. There is plenty of trout to be found within the catch
and release water and good angling below the project water. The stream is
filled with some stream-bred rainbows and brown trout. The past population of
stream-bred brook trout is on the rebound. Thanks to some stockings of brook
trout fingerlings, many stream-bred brook trout have begun to appear within many
reaches of the stream. Efforts have begun to restore the
stream and once again make it a world-class fishery.
Fishing Report on Big Spring: 07/03/09
Jason and I fished the stream for about four hours. Water clear and 53
degrees. Many midges and very few rising trout. I showed Jason how I
fished nymphs in the ditch. We hit the stream with my shrimp and cress
bugs. It was a heck of an afternoon. Jason missed several and we
landed six. One was a nice brook trout and the others were all rainbows.
One lost a good 15-17 inch trout. Was a fun day.
OTHER PA STREAMS
Jay Nichols-photo
Fishing Report on
Broad Run: 06/01/09
I did a little brook trout fishing. One, just wanted to get out and Two,
needed to get some pictures for new presentations for next year. It was
sunny and humid. Water was clear and low. Not much hatching, but the
mosquitoes and gnats were bad. I just tossed around some hare's ear
parachutes. I found some eager brook trout. I did get two around 6
inches. The nine inches of rain that fell during that freak rain storm
really changed things.
